The STABILO ‘Smash Your Exams’ Series. #2: Maths

Calculator, at the ready, today’s the day. This is what you’ve been doing all those years of study and countless hours (hopefully) of revision for.

As you walk into the exam hall, you might think there’s nothing more you can do at this late stage than cross your fingers that the right questions turn up and pray your memory has got its numbers’ head on. But, as it happens, there are steps you can still take to boost your mark – and here are four of them.

Fail to prepare = prepare to fail

Once you’ve sat down and the exam has started, you’ll be keen to get stuck into the first problem. But hold your horses, and your quadratic equations, and take a few calm moments to devise a quick plan. Read everything three times before you get underway. You’d be amazed how easy it is to misread things, especially if you’re feeling nervous and in a mad rush. Then, if you’re being asked to choose a certain number of questions to answer, assess which ones you feel most comfortable with before you charge ahead.

Reveal the magic

Don’t forget to show your all your workings. Not only do the markers expect it, but it will also help you keep track of your answers if you have the time at the end to revisit them. Reread words like ‘multiply’, ‘add’ and ‘subtract’ as well as other instructions, so you ensure you’re applying the right mathematics at the right time.

Answer all the questions

Try to give yourself enough time to answer all the questions, even the ones you’re not sure about. If you’re completing a multiple-choice exam, then check you’ve put an answer for everything. (If you’re familiar with the Law of Averages, you’ll realise that even guessing at this stage can pick you up valuable marks.) And don’t worry if your answer to everything is ‘A’ – the paper may just be designed that way.

Summing up

If you finish the exam early, don’t just sit there looking smug. Use every minute of that spare time to check your answers or you may not be looking quite so smug when the results come out. Double check all your workings and answers for silly mistakes. Yes, you’ll be feeling completely drained, but the work you do in the last fifteen minutes really can be the difference between one grade and another.